


Sleep Sheep

by 1000PaperCranes



Category: Aardman Animations, Shaun the Sheep (All Media Types), Shaun the Sheep (Cartoon), Shaun the Sheep (Movie)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-14 17:38:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4573581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1000PaperCranes/pseuds/1000PaperCranes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now, don't misunderstand; the Farmer is a good human, and for once, he solves a problem.  Shaun and Bitzer wind up being more grateful than he will ever understand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleep Sheep

Shaun was the first sheep born on the farm. As such, he holds a special place in the Farmer's heart. Sheep have died of old age here, but Bitzer is beginning to think Shaun might just be the first sheep _killed_ on the farm. And then the Farmer would promptly kill Bitzer. It's Bitzer's job to keep the sheep safe. _That_ is his job. To keep the sheep safe. All other mistakes, damages, and shenanigans are forgivable as long as the sheep all come through relatively intact.

Now, don't misunderstand. Bitzer is a good dog, and Shaun is a good sheep. It's just… Shaun hasn't sleepwalked in such a very long time. In fact, he'd only done it the once. Until now. It's been every night for the last week. Bitzer thinks it's some kind of reaction to that fiasco with the pound a few weeks ago. And he's exhausted, keeping a sleepwalking sheep safe is extraordinarily difficult. Hopefully, _tonight_ Shaun will stay in the barn.

 _Last night_ , things really got out of hand. Shaun had slipped by the flock, the dog, and the cat, right on up into the Farmer's room. Timmy had woken up scared ‒ a bad dream, likely also caused by that mess downtown ‒ and without Shaun there to comfort him, he'd cried all the sheep ‒ and half the farm ‒ into wakefulness. Timmy's mother had shooed Bitzer away, perfectly capable of handling her lamb thank-you-very-much, which was fine with Bitzer; he had a missing Shaun to find.

Or a wandering one, anyway. Bitzer had put his nose to the ground and followed the familiar scent of his best friend almost straight to the foot of the Farmer's bed. Any and all attempts to force or coax Shaun out of the room ‒ or even so much as six inches in any direction ‒ had been totally unsuccessful, and had eventually woken the Farmer.

Now, the sheep don't speak English ‒ or any other human language ‒ but Bitzer follows along fairly well. What the Farmer said when he woke to find Bitzer and a catatonic Shaun in his room is not repeatable.

Bitzer had whined, unsure of what else to do.  The Farmer had sighed. He had poked Shaun gently, then he had scratched the sheep behind the ear. The Farmer had then made a phone call. Humans are strange.

"Yes, I know what time i'tis." Bitzer could never make out what the people on the other end of the phone were saying, but he had recognized the voice of the farmer's brother. "The dog jus' woke me up. One o'the sheep is in me room." Bitzer had turned back to Shaun, nuzzling him. Maybe a cold, wet nose to the ear would do the trick? "Aye." No luck. "I dunnae. I think there's summat wrong with the Sheep, he's" a word Bitzer doesn't know. Bitzer had laid his head on Shaun's shoulders, dolefully watching his master. " _Can_ sheep sleep walk?" Yes, Bitzer had thought, yes they can; he's doing it right now. "Bite me? A sheep?" What! No! "Aye, I remember. I won't hold it against the wee thing."

The Farmer had wound up waking Shaun with a sharp yank to the tail. Bitzer had winced sympathetically when Shaun shouted and bucked, startled. The Farmer had herded Shaun back to the barn, Bitzer following them every step of the way. Once there, the Farmer had cleared the other sheep from the loft ‒ "How d'they get up here?" ‒ and lifted up Shaun and Bitzer.

"Sleep, sheep." He had patted Shaun on the head. "You keep Shaun up here, Bitzer." And the Farmer had patted Bitzer, too. Clearly, he had expected either the height or the dog to keep Shaun contained. After climbing down, the Farmer had given Timmy a bit of a cuddle and headed back to the house. The flock had given Bitzer funny looks.

Now, night time was supposed to be Bitzer's free time, but Shaun is his best friend. The sleep walking wouldn't last forever and he _was_ awfully hard to catch. Sleeping in the barn wasn't really a sacrifice. Except that he couldn't sleep. Or at least he didn't last night. Lingering worry, the smell of the barn, the sounds of the sheep; it had all melded together to keep him awake.

Shaun hadn't been able to return to sleep, either. Upon giving up he had climbed down, deftly extricating Timmy from his mother, only to cuddle the lamb himself. At sunrise, Shaun had put Timmy down and hauled himself back up to the loft to await the Farmer's arrival. It was going to be a long day.

And it had been a long day. Hopefully, that at least meant they would both sleep.

Bitzer helps the farmer herd the sheep into the barn, knowing that means he'll be put in the loft, again. The Farmer will keep doing it until he forgets ‒ and Shaun doesn't wind up in his room ‒ or until he gets sick of lugging them up the ladder. Tucking his feet up, Bitzer makes himself easy to carry, and is rewarded when the Farmer makes a bed from the sweet, soft hay for the two of them.

Once all the other sheep are asleep, Shaun nudges Bitzer, nodding to the hay. They curl up together. It's warm and comfortable. Bitzer pushes his nose into Shaun's fleece. They could get used to this. Bitzer loves all the sheep, but he loves Shaun the most. Letting go of a contented sigh, Bitzer shuffles closer. Shaun bleats quietly in his sleep, turning into his companions warmth. Maybe Bitzer will sleep with the sheep for the rest of his life.

After all, he loves all the sheep, but he loves Shaun the most.


End file.
